Together, Side By Side
by dorkygirl
Summary: Someday you guys might thank me for this, he had said. Troy and Gabriella return to the ski lodge one year later, on New Years Eve.


Title: Together, Side by Side

Author: Krystle (dorkygirl)

Summary: "Someday you guys might thank me for this." Troy and Gabriella return to the ski lodge one year later, on New Years Eve.

Rating: G/K

Length: 1,515 words

Warnings: None.

Status: 1/1

Author Notes: This didn't turn out exactly how I pictured it, but it's close enough and I'm happy with it. Since we never found out what the name of the "host" of the New Years Eve party at the ski lodge was, I named him Marc Summers, just because it was the first name that popped in my head. I don't know how many basketball games are played within a high school season, so I made it up. The song they sing is "I Can't Take My Eyes Off of You," a song available on the soundtrack. I partly chose this song because it fits, and well, I'm not creative enough to make one up.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

* * *

Troy and Gabriella sat in a remote corner of the ski lodge, watching the snow fall. Gabriella was content in Troy's arms, sipping hot chocolate. There was music going on in the background, for the teenager party was raging on in another room. They had snuck away from the noise and were comfortable being by themselves for a little while. Neither had forgotten what had happened at this very place a year ago. 

Troy, though riddled with bruises and bumps from snowboarding, was happy as a guy could get. The Wildcats were currently ranked first in the city, with a near perfect record of 12-2, going to their consecutive championship game in a few weeks. He was balancing that with the Ms. Darbus' new winter musicale, "Adventures of Arnold and Minnie: the Twinkle Town Sequel." He had raised his eyebrows when he had found out the plot for the new winter musical, but who was he to argue with Ms. Darbus? And not to mention, he got the girl. For that, he was most thankful.

Gabriella wasn't as bruised as Troy was, though she did have her share. They had spent most of the vacation indoors, and when they did step outside to snowboard, Troy was more into it than Gabriella. She had claimed that she'd much rather sit there and make a snowman than to snowboard. And she did, and he helped her. If by "help" you mean throw snowballs at the back of her head while she made the snowman. That had started many a snowball fight, and many clothing changes. But overall, Gabriella was having fun and she was with her boyfriend to ring in the New Year. It couldn't get much better.

Troy's parents and Gabriella's mother had all agreed to return to the ski lodge to spend the New Years. They knew the sentimental meaning it had to their children, so they had agreed when each of their respective children cornered them and begged them to return.

"Troy! Gabriella!" a voice yelled. Gabriella and Troy started and Gabriella nearly dropped her hot chocolate. They turned simultaneously and saw Troy's mother approaching them. They stood up, and Gabriella set her hot chocolate down.

"Mom," Troy stated.

"Mrs. Bolton," Gabriella greeted.

"You know, we didn't come all the way over here so you guys can do what you do every day. Go out to the teen party and sing or something!" she exclaimed. When neither Troy nor Gabriella made a move, she walked around them and started pushing them towards the party.

"Go! Have fun!" she yelled after them.

Troy and Gabriella, hand in hand, walked into the crowded room slowly. They fought to stay side by side, and to not get separated. Troy consciously pulled Gabriella closer when other teenaged boys started to smile and check her out. They found an empty seat on the couch and sat down, watching their surroundings and listening to a couple karaoke.

As the couple finished their song, the same host from last year got up on stage.

"Who's our next victim – excuse me, couple?" he asked out loud. The spotlight landed on two unsuspecting people and had to be dragged up there. Troy and Gabriella were close enough to the stage that they heard the host tell them the same thing he told them last year.

"Someday you guys might thank me for this." Gabriella couldn't help it, and she laughed out loud. He noticed the couple and made his way over to them.

"Hey, you two look familiar," he said.

"Yeah, we were singing here last year. I remember you had to force me up there," Gabriella said, speaking up louder because of the noise, and remembering the memory fondly.

He laughed. "It was worth it, right? I see you two are together, am I correct?" Gabriella nodded shyly and smiled.

"I'm telling you, I got a knack for these things," he said, nodding towards the new couple on the stage, who were starting to get into the song.

"Yeah, I guess you do," Troy spoke up, putting his arm around Gabriella, and pulling her closer to him.

"Oh! I don't think we've ever introduced ourselves. I'm Marc Summers," he introduced, holding out his hand. Troy shook it first.

"Troy Bolton," he said with a smile.

"Gabriella Montez," Gabriella introduced, also shaking his hand.

As the couple finished their song with smiles on their faces, making eyes at each other, Marc excused himself, but turned around quickly as if he forgot something.

"Do you guys want to sing?" he asked. Gabriella looked at Troy.

"Uh, I don't think so…" Troy trailed off. Gabriella stood up and tugged on his arm.

"Come on Troy! Don't be so afraid. It's just a song," Gabriella pleaded.

"Yeah, come on Troy. Listen to your girlfriend," Marc said. As if on cue, Gabriella started to pout and make puppy dog eyes. It seemed to work, because you could see his resolve crumbling around him. He allowed himself to be led up on the stage by Gabriella.

"Ladies and gentleman, we have a special treat in store for us. Making a repeat performance from a year ago, Troy and Gabriella!" he introduced and the crowd made some noise and gathered around the stage.

Gabriella nodded to Marc, who cued up the music. She turned and smiled at Troy, who began to sing.

"_You never know what you're gonna feel, oh. You never see it coming, suddenly it's real."_

Gabriella jumped in at her part.

"_Oh, never even crossed my mind, no, that I would ever end up here tonight."_

They kept their eyes locked onto each other, though they were both beginning to get into the song with each lyric they sang.

_All things change when you don't expect them to. _

_No one knows what the future's gonna do. _

_I never even noticed that you've been there all along.  
__I can't take my eyes off of you  
__I know you feel the same way too  
__I can't take my eyes off of you  
__All it took was one look for a dream come true_

Troy started to sing once more, grabbing onto her hand.

_Yeah we got a good thing going on._

_Oh, right here is right where we belong._

_You never really know what you might find.  
Now all I see is you and I  
You're everything I knew that I've been looking for. _

_I can't take my eyes off of you  
I know you feel the same way too  
I can't take my eyes off of you  
All it took was one look for a dream come true _

_Can't take my eyes off of you  
Oh, oh, oh yeah.  
So let the music play.  
Can't take my eyes off of you  
Yeah, the feeling's getting stronger  
And I never ever felt this way. _

_Alright, I see everything in your eyes... oh yeah.  
Alright, something's happening because everyone's around  
But you're the only one I see. _

_I can't take my eyes off of you  
I know you feel the same way too  
I can't take my eyes off of you  
All it took was one look for a dream come true _

_I can't take my eyes off of you  
Feelings like I never knew  
I can't take my eyes off of you  
From the start… got my heart  
Yeah, you do  
Can't take my eyes off of you _

Gabriella and Troy finished their song with a flourish, and to the crowd's enthusiastic applause. Throughout the time they were singing, like the song, they could not take their eyes off each other. Marc got up on stage and applauded along with the crowd. Troy and Gabriella shared a smile and a kiss before smiling at Marc.

"Thanks you guys," he said.

Troy smiled. "No, thank you."

Marc caught the double meaning and smiled. He nodded towards the clock. "You guys might want to start heading outside. They're going to start counting down soon." Sure enough, the clock read 11:58. Troy and Gabriella nodded a good-bye to Marc, and they walked outside, where the snow was still falling at a slow, but steady pace.

He put his arms around her, and together, they looked up at the evening sky. Within a few minutes, you can hear the crowd inside counting down.

"10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1! Happy New Year!"

Gabriella turned to Troy and leaned up to kiss him. It was short and sweet, and they rested their foreheads against each other before fully breaking apart.

"Happy New Year, Gabriella," Troy whispered.

"Happy New Year, Troy," she replied.

"I love you," he said, as the fireworks started to go off behind him.

She grinned. Those words never failed to make her smile and feel like she was on top of the world. "I love you, too, Troy."

And so, like every January 1st, it was the start of a new year. It was the sure start of many adventures and obstacles. But as long as Troy and Gabriella had each other, they were sure they could overcome everything. After all, they're in this together.


End file.
